Apparatus for detecting and rejecting improperly filled packages

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING IMPROPERLY FILLED PACKAGES FROM A SUCCESSION OF PROPERLY FILLED PACKAGES, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, A CARRIER FOR GRIPPING THE TOPS OF A SUCCESSION OF SUCH POUCHES AND CARRYING THE SAME EDGEWISE IN SPACED EDGE-TO-EDGE RELATION ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, A DIVERTER DISPOSED ALONG SAID PATH AND SELECTIVELY MOVABLE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS TO DEFLECT THE PACKAGES IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AS THEY PASS THE DIVERTER, A DETECTOR DISPOSED ALONG SAID PATH IN ADVANCE OF SAID DIVERTER AND OPERABLE TO PRODUCE A SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO THE PASSING OF AN IMPROPERLY FILLED PACKAGE, AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID DIVERTER BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS INCLUDING AN ACTUATOR, A CONTROL VALVE OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE FLUID INTRODUCED ALTERNATELY INTO ITS OPPOSITE ENDS TO OPERATE SAID ACTUATOR BACK AND FORTH, A FIRST OPERATING VALVE FOR INTRODUCING PRESSURE FLUID INTO ONE END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE AND SHIFTING THE DIVERTER INTO SAID FIRST POSITION AS EACH PACKAGE APPROACHES SAID DETECTOR, AND A SECOND OPERATING VALVE OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO SIGNALS FROM SAID DETECTOR TO SHIFT SAID DIVERTER INTO SAID SECOND POSITION BEFORE EACH IMPROPERLY FILLED PACKAGE REACHES THE DIVERTER.